Mother Nature's Tears
Poem by Brittany Jokela + Interview
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The raindrops fall, Like tears from the heavens. Mother Nature, dry your tears. Do you cry because of the state of your dear sister? The treatment of Mother Earth? The thunder booms. Mother Nature has put her foot down hard. Telling us to wake up. The lightning strikes. As if a final warning. To treat her dear sister better. Mother Nature is on the warpath. A protective older sister. If she spins out of control, She could take out entire cities. Leaving nothing in her wake. Take heed to Mother Nature’s tears, Her booms of angry stomps, She only seeks to protect dear Mother Earth, And restore balance in a world of chaos.
In Conversation with Brittany Jokela
Brittany, "Mother Nature's Tears" beautifully captures a profound connection to nature's emotions. Could you share with us what ignited the spark for this piece and how your dual passions in psychology and creative writing intertwined to shape it?
I am a part of the Creative Writing Review Club with my college at Southern New Hampshire University. Every week, we get prompts to inspire creativity and for a chance to win Writer of the Week on our club page. We usually get three prompts a week, and we can choose which prompt we want to write about or write about all three. This poem was inspired by a prompt that was to write about a rainy day.Â
Balancing dual degrees is no small feat! How do your studies in Creative Writing & English and Psychology influence your writing style, and have you discovered any surprising intersections between these two seemingly distinct fields?Â
Interestingly enough, I have! In fact, my decision to major in Psychology was based on my Creative Writing/English degree and my career as a writer. I wanted to expand my skills in character development. I thought, what better way to do that than to learn everything about human behavior and the human brain possible? This way, I should have very richly developed characters for my novels once my college education is complete.Â
Your poem resonates with a deep understanding of the natural world. Could you delve into your process of infusing emotions into nature itself, and what kind of personal experiences or thoughts prompted you to explore this unique perspective?
I have always enjoyed using metaphors in my poetry to express what I'm trying to convey. It's actually part of the reason I have a concentration in poetry on my degree. My process always includes metaphors and deciding how I can best explain what I'm trying to convey in my piece. Although the prompt that inspired this poem was about a rainy day, I wanted this poem to convey a deeper meaning. I used to say that when it rained, Mother Nature was crying. So when I was writing this piece, I thought to myself, why is Mother Nature crying? The most glaring answer to me was pollution and how society treats the world today, and this is something I tried to convey in the piece.Â
It's heartwarming to hear about your furry companions, Roxy and Sam. Do they ever find their way into your stories, or do their antics inspire any creative moments that you'd like to share with our readers?
I have actually written a couple of poems that Sam has inspired. One is entitled "Cats," and one is entitled "Cat Whisperer" because I have had Sam for eight years, so I know him extremely well. I know what his meows mean. Oftentimes, people say pets don't talk back. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Sam. He does talk back. But I can figure out what his different meows mean after eight years. I can read him like a book or a poem, in this case. Roxy, on the other hand, has inspired a painting that I will soon be starting on when I decide on my medium. She is a full-blooded Siberian Husky and has been my dream dog for a long time. She is my best friend and the best dog ever, and painting her will be like my gift to her for being such a great companion.Â
Painting is another avenue of your creativity. How does your experience in visual art intersect with your writing? Are there instances where the brush strokes on canvas influence the flow of your words on paper?
The painting I'm currently working on intersects a lot with my memoir I'm currently working on. I am writing a personal memoir. I decided to create a painting based on the emotions that are connected with what I'm writing about in my memoir. I have split the canvas diagonally with a lightning bolt. One side depicts anger and "seeing red," and one side depicts sadness and "feeling blue." I wrote down the emotions and words that come up when I think about the situation in my memoir and have painted those words on the canvas and am using those words in my memoir as well. So, these specific pieces really intersect and influence one another quite a bit. I may actually consider trying to use it as the cover design once it is ready for publication.
Your diverse interests and experiences must contribute to a unique writing methodology. Could you give us a glimpse into your creative routine or habits that help you transition between the worlds of psychology, writing, and art?
 First off, I keep a ton of composition notebooks. I use these for novel notes, ideas, and research. I use a separate one for each novel, all labeled. I also have a poetry notebook. This one would be a headache for anyone else to read, I'm certain. This is where I scribble lines and words for poems out of order all over the page, and I go back later and type them out in order. I also have several USB thumb drives where I store my finished writing, course notes, and completed assignments. My schedule as a full-time college student is very busy, but it is very important to both my future and my mental health to be sure I always make time for writing and art. Recently, I had a week off of school because we were in between courses, and this gave me ample time to write and create art. But during courses, I try to finish coursework early so that I have more time to write and create art. I plan to go to art school as well, so I have to create a portfolio of my artwork in my downtime as well. It's all about organization, managing your time, and keeping your eye on that end goal.Â
As fellow book lovers, we're always eager to hear about our favorite authors. Who are the literary figures that have left a lasting impact on your style, and how have they guided your journey as a writer pursuing degrees in both Creative Writing and Psychology?
Maya Angelou, Joy Fielding, and Chelsea Cain, to name a few. Joy Fielding and Chelsea Cain specifically write in the genre I tend to write, and their form is extremely inspiring to me. They take you on a psychological journey in a way I hope to do with my own writing. Maya Angelou's way of description is unmatched. She pushed the boundaries and was unapologetic about it, and this is why she is so inspiring. Her poem "Still I Rise" spoke to my soul.
Meet Brittany, a dynamic 28-year-old pursuing her dreams at Southern New Hampshire University. Juggling dual degrees in Creative Writing & English and Psychology, she calls Tennessee home with her husband of 8 years, her Siberian Husky, Roxy, and her feline companion, Sam. When not engrossed in coursework or writing, Brittany finds solace in the world of painting.